Chain-adjusting mechanism



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,024

F. L. MORSE can: ADJUSTING MECHANISM pu a Sept. 27, 1923 WITNESSES INVENTOR 9- MZ By .FW

ATTORNEY 3 CO i , without changing the shaft centre. ber of accessory units it is equally applica- Patented Jan. 24,1928. I if UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

, FRANK L. MORSE, F ITHACA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 MORSE CHAIN COMPANY, 01'

ITHACA, NEW YORK, A'CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CHAIN-ADJUSTING MECHANISM. Application filed September 27, 1923. Serial No. 665,075.

This invention relates to improvements a crank shaft sprocket 4, the accessory shaft in chain adjusters and is particularly useful sprocket 5 and the cam shaft sprocket d for front end drives for automobiles where driven by the chain '7 in clockwise direction it is desirable to make adjustments without as Viewedin Fig. 1., In, order to brin disturbing the shaft centre and in connecabout the adjustment in the mannerdesireii tion with which it will be described. I have 'rotatably mounted on the shaft 3 One of the primaryobjects of my inventhe ratchet wheel 8 having an eccentric extion is to provide an effective chain adjusttension 9 on which the sprocket 5 is free ing mechanism which willadjust the chain to revolve. In order to transmit a rotary to proper running tension after the mechamotion to the eccentrically mounted sprocket 5 nism of which it forms a part has come to 5 from the fixed shaft 3 I have provided rest. a flexible connection comprising an end Another object is to provide a mechanism flange 10 having tapered jaws adapted to for automatically adjusting the chain by the engage correspondingly tapered recesses in backward rock of the mechanism of which the floating member 11. The opposite face it forms a part. p of the member 11 is also provided with ta,-

Still another object is to provide a mechapered recesses disposed at right angles to the nism for automatically adjusting the chain jaws on the end flange 10,]which engage in adirection opposite to the normal run of simllar jaws carried by the sprocket 5. In the h in, order to insure more perfect engagement Still another object is to provide a mechaof the coupling parts I have provided the nism for automatically adjusting the chain springs 12 which are carried by the sprocket which is locked against loosening after be- 5 and which bear against the hardened ing adjusted. washer 13. The shaft is held against end In general, my invention is an improvemovement by meansof the collar 14- so ment over devices in use which depend on It is to be observed that this spring arhand adjustment or on tripping mechani ms, rangement also serves tokeep the sprocket in which there is danger due to negligence of 5 and the adjusting member in frictional the operator or failure of parts to function. engagement so that it will aid in moving the The foregoing together with such other adjusting member when the" shaft rocks objects as may hereinafter appear, or are inbackward which is often thecase when the cident, to my invention, I obtain by means of ClIlVlIlg mechanism is stopped. This ada construction which I have illustrated in justment, however, is not solely dependent preferred form in the accompanying drawn this friction and the rocking back of the i h i shaft, 1n view of the fact that I have pro- Fig, 1 is a face view of a typical arrangevlded a splral sprlng 15 having the inner ment of front end drive for automobiles 6nd f stened to the ratchet wheel 8 and the with my device shown applied thereto receding or outer end fastened to the casing d j I 1. Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that Fig, 2 i a s ction on the lin Q, 2 of the action of the spring is to rotate the ec- Fi 1 I centric in a counter clockwise direction,

Referring to the drawings, the reference which is against the normal run of the chain. numeral 1 indicates the gear casin having Throwing the eccentric in this direction a bearing 2, for the shaft 8 which carries under the tension of the spring maintains th dj ting d vi Th haft. 31 1 thi the chain under properrunning tension. In 0 particular case drives a number of accessory order to prevent the friction between the units therefore it will be seen that it is sprocket and the adjusting device from reimportant to accomplish the adjustment of turning it to the looser adjustment when the chain without disturbing the shaft the chain is driving I have provided a spring centre, which would throw it out of line held pawl 16 which prevents such returning with the various units. In accomplishing movement.

this end applicant has provided a mecha- While I have described my invention as nism for adjusting the chain automatically applied to an accessory shaft driving a num- The triangular layout shown consists of ble to generator mountings in which case the gel ieintor ehafii would he (ietnehahly connected to the shaft f. This mechanism may nine he applied to multiple units in which two 01' more ehains are carried by the aniieessei' shaft. In ranch canes there would he :1 number of adjusting deviees with sprockets: driven as one by in of Heat inn: couplings inim'poseii hetwwn iilkll'l.

Othel' advantages: will 0((3111' '0 those skilled in the art. I claim:

1.1m adjnntinn' device for (.lliiiiSd ij-haiins including a tension a ijiietei", a billbfli. l'fiiVOillbiX inonni'eii on the iension :nijnzmn'. means for holding the i'ension {Hijiiniii' iiiikiizi tension in n (iii'eei'ion opposite H11 inn'n'ni! run of the chain and 1119:2115 between iii! Tension adjuster and .Eipl'UCkCiI adapted in ini fipien'ieini {he firs-i; mentioned lIiLfiliifr win-n the chain runs oppm ie in ihiioi-inai i'an. togeihei with nieanea holding the igeneinn :niine'ier in positions: of adjnainienis a a ijiistnieni IS ejt'i'mrteii, yet perinniiine' nah" seqnent nnioina bie Qdjilfiilliiili'.

2. A iin ini we drive :iioi: anioneniniee; (honipi'ising in eoinhinaijion iwo oznioi'e ii nfoeiieii wheels, a chain fililflllfl eani Wheeia, 1118i 11:

foraliielin e' ihe ieimnon oi. the chain rota.- ahly HHJHHfCIi on a s n-whet .sha'ii', nieana operaied by the EPIOUiiEi ,shaiit in its backmini loci; for moving; bani tension altering: illtllliiij)" ficiei'ion, ionei'her with m .Lii'ib' for hohiinn' i'he ienaion aliei-ing means in nn-i tions of inijneinieni as aiijushnenix is eii'ecleii, yet pei'niiiitinn' fi llbirlfiilllei'li anioniai'i iiiijii=-gi- 1110M].

A front end drive for automobiles noniprising in (:Ollibilliiiiflll twin or more .sipi'oekeiz Wheeis, a ehain ih'ivine' said Wheels, Ineam; fo aii'erinn' the tension of the chain i'otai'nbiy monni'eei on. a spi'oeket 511:1 it, means caperzihad by the sprocket shaft in its blLCiU'iUii. reek forinovmg said tension altering means by friction, and means preventing the tensioning means from leilll'llillglf do t) in .iUOiSGl' MijllSilllOIl'i.

+1.. An :nijusting device for autmnobile front end ih'ivess employing a plai'iiitiy of is 'iroeke (onneeted by emliess ehains inru-inejiing; a iension ::u.i fer, a Slji'lflifiifiil ltiVi'JilliJilf. .inonni'eii on the iii-mien aihiiirhn', HIHi means between the tension aiijliaiei' aiai hiliffltix'ijfi \i'hei'ehy l'oi'atii'e innvenann of a n'eiieiei' niineii mine is iraneiniijimi in Hie ienaion mijastei' by the s n-(whet, as; {he m nwhet mi mien op ioaiie to its nonnai iiiieeiiiin oi i'niaiion, Logeiher will: means for hnhiin the [anion adjuster in ponifiona iii :itijileililllllli an inijnstn'ieni eiieeied, yet periiiii'tiii .-w'lli )HL'- qlient anioinaiie .iliji'lSll'llUiii.

A fifmiil enii ihive iOi anLemohiiee eoniprising in wenbination two Ui more x ii'oeii'et wheels, a chain pas: 11 over aaiii wheeiis, anii means for aiijeiing i'he Minion oi the vhain, inihniing an u(,(.(i1i'i'ir: on \i'hieh one of .saiii \i'ilCQi, 15 mounted and means noeinaii iii-nilinn" in rotate iii! eew-ntrii: in a ihmj'iion i-an'h an to :Lihifli r-Siiiii n'i vi 1o Lifjiii'fili he ehain, together with nieam: for hoin'ii the eeeenirii: in noz iinie of zi(i ilhiillli3]1i an adjustment in eiieei'eii yet permitting snhieeqneni' aiitomalie zlkij llkilllifi'li,

ii. A :iriini; (Elhi (have for llHLHillUiJiiU-S i-oniprising: in eoinhinaiion Len or nnne anmieina n'heeha a ehain panning oi'ei :iaii wheels, a ,w'iiilfi 'i 1'01 one (if said iii'an'he, an iari'iiillilfiit i'evohlhle on said, shaft, said wheei being new olnhiy mounted on saiil Pkl'fi'iiii'ii" anri nieana noi'niaiiy iieniiine' in iniaie HI} iii L'llftjiliii'ifl in a E take up aiaeh FRi-XNK ii. MORSE. 

